1 Kings 21:21-29: a reflection

21Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel. 22I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin.” 23The LORD also spoke of Jezebel, saying, “The dogs will eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. 24The dogs will eat whoever dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat whoever dies in the field.” 25But there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26He did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 27When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his body, fasted, lay in sackcloth, and went about despondently. 28The LORD’s word came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29“See how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but I will bring the evil on his house in his son’s day.”

Ahab was the worst of kings, who sold himself to do evil, stirred up by Jezebel; and God pronounces a severe judgment on his house. But then something surprising happens. When Ahab hears the word of judgment, he humbles himself: he tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, fasts, and goes about subdued. And God, seeing it, responds with mercy: Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days. Even Ahab's humbling drew a measure of mercy from God.

Notice God's response to even Ahab's humbling. Ahab was as wicked a king as Israel had; his repentance may have been shallow and short-lived. And yet, when he humbled himself before God, God took notice, and showed a measure of mercy, delaying the judgment. If God responded with mercy even to the humbling of the worst of kings, how ready he must be to show mercy to genuine humility before him. God notices and responds to even the humbling of a great sinner.

That is a remarkable testimony to God's readiness to show mercy to the humble, however great their sin. We can imagine that our sin is too great for God to show us mercy, that we are beyond his grace. But God showed mercy even to Ahab, the worst of kings, when he humbled himself; no one who humbles themselves before God is beyond his mercy. If you feel your sin is too great, that you are beyond God's mercy, remember Ahab: God responded with mercy even to his humbling. Humble yourself before God, however great your sin; God is ready to show mercy to the humble, as he showed mercy even to Ahab. Do not think yourself beyond God's mercy; he notices and responds to even the humbling of the greatest sinner. Humble yourself before him, and find that his mercy reaches even to you, as it reached even to Ahab when he humbled himself.

Lord, Ahab was the worst of kings, who sold himself to do evil; you pronounced severe judgment on his house. But when he heard the word and humbled himself, tearing his clothes, putting on sackcloth, fasting, you responded with mercy: because he has humbled himself, I will not bring the disaster in his days. Show me your readiness to show mercy to the humble, however great their sin. If you responded with mercy even to the humbling of the worst of kings, how ready you must be to show mercy to genuine humility before you. I can imagine that my sin is too great for you to show me mercy, that I am beyond your grace. But you showed mercy even to Ahab when he humbled himself; no one who humbles themselves before you is beyond your mercy. If I feel my sin is too great, that I am beyond your mercy, help me remember Ahab: you responded with mercy even to his humbling. Help me humble myself before you, however great my sin; you are ready to show mercy to the humble, as you showed mercy even to Ahab. Keep me from thinking myself beyond your mercy; you notice and respond to even the humbling of the greatest sinner. Help me humble myself before you, Lord, and find that your mercy reaches even to me, as it reached even to Ahab.